Time again for “In the Bag,” my personal variant of the old desert-island game, featuring a twist of the wrist. In this version, the emphasis is on immediate and arbitrary preference. You can put five works of art into your bag before departing for that good old desert island, but you have to decide right this second. No dithering–the death squad is banging on the front door. No posturing–you have to say the first five things that pop into your head, no matter how dumb they may sound. What do you stuff in the bag?
As of this moment, here are my picks. I don’t mind admitting (well, maybe a little bit) that one of them is kind of dopey. Nevertheless, I swore I’d tell the whole truth and nothing but, so here goes nothing:
BOOK: Walker Percy, The Moviegoer
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Sir William Walton, First Symphony
PAINTING: John Singer Sargent, A Study from Life (Egyptian Girl)
MOVIE: Michael Caton-Jones, Doc Hollywood
POP ALBUM: The Band, The Band
Your turn.